Most homeowners aren’t experts on all the details of the laws affecting their homeownership, and it doesn’t help when two rather different legal benefits have confusingly similar names. In California, the homeowners’ exemption and the homestead exemption may sound alike, but they are far from the same. One provides a slight property tax break, while…
With the sudden closures of some major regional and industry-specific banks, many people are worried about their FDIC coverages for accounts held in trust. This is a good opportunity to review the rules when it comes to FDIC insurance and trusts. In fact, the FDIC approved changes, on January 21, 2022, to the deposit insurance…
This is Part 2 in a three-part series about Estate Planning for Non-Citizens. In Part 1, I discussed general issues involving non-citizen planning. In Part 3, I discuss the various ways foreigners can own U.S. real property. Who Needs a QDOT? One of the lesser known benefits of US citizenship is something called the “unlimited…
On July 16, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 150 into law. This bill enables certain California taxpayers to write off more than the $10,000 limit placed on state and local tax (SALT) deductions — but it’s not automatic, you need to know what to do to get this relief. BRIEF HISTORY OF SALT…
A lot of people have been talking about what President Biden’s tax plan will look like and whether there’s anything we can do now. In April of this year, Biden released the American Families Plan, which essentially increases taxes on both corporations and certain individuals. Following this, the Treasury Department issued its Green Book, which…
What to Think About When Naming Permanent Guardians Most estate planning attorneys will encourage you to set up estate plans for many reasons: to protect against probate; to plan for incapacity; to create asset protection; to further tax planning; if you have a child under the age of 18, to plan for their guardianship in…
Feeling in-SECURE? In January of this year, a new law came into effect known as the SECURE Act, which is the most impactful legislation affecting retirement accounts in decades. You may have read politicians applaud the bill but be very weary — what Congress cloaked under the guise of “freebies” turns out to be nothing…
PROP 19: REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES BEFORE FEBRUARY 16TH! Proposition 19 will affect each and every person who owns a property, whether it’s a primary residence, a vacation home, a rental property, or a commercial property. According to the new law, we have a limited window to take action in order to lock in our property taxes under the old…
Important Update for Landlords and Tenants In light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic cities, and counties are taking steps to minimize the impact on tenants, including placing moratoriums on evictions, holds on shutting off utilities due to nonpayment, and prohibiting late rent fees. The federal government has suspended evictions and foreclosures in public housing until…
The Super Lawyers publication has selected Bridge Law partner, Lalit Kundani, as a 2019 Southern California Super Lawyer. The annual list recognizes outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Lalit began his legal career in 2005 after graduating from UC Berkeley School of Law, one of the nation’s top…
On May 23, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed important retirement legislation called the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. The Senate is likely to pass the bill and the President expected to sign as well. Under HR 1994, there are 3 important issues for estate planners and financial advisors to…
Since we opened our doors back in 2015, we have never once increased our prices. That’s pretty much unheard of in our industry and something we are very proud to have been able to offer to our clients for so long. Beginning in January of 2019 though, we will be expanding our estate practice as…
Black Hollywood Live? Michael B. Wilson appears as a special guest on Black Holywood Live’s Justice is Served.
There are other ways to resolve problems?. You’ve been wronged. It’s highly emotional. For some people, an immediate reaction is to consider filing suit. Suing will get your money or your property back. Suing will get the justice you deserve. After all, no one should be able to take advantage of another person and get…
Class action lawsuits are common in our court systems. Most everyone has received a notice in the mail of a class action suit involving consumer products, from cars to jewelry. Even if the recipient has a valid claim, the information being provided is lengthy, in small print, and very legalistic. As a result, a lot…
Alter-Ego and Why That Is an Ego You Need to Understand It’s a common assumption that a corporation and its shareholders are generally treated as separate legal entities. Acts through a corporation are performed by its officers, and the corporation enters into its own contracts. Another assumption is the corporation’s assets, and not those of…
Ride-sharing pioneers Uber and Lyft are proving to be very successful in markets around the country and the globe. Uber operates in 250 cities in 50 countries, and Lyft is in 70 cities across the United States. The draw of these companies is the ease with which customers can hail and pay for a ride,…
Do you collect, store and use client and prospect data as part of your business? If so, you must know and follow the rules to keep your business safe from an expensive, unnecessary lawsuit. Be Aware of Data Breach Data breaches involving retailers and Internet services are common these days. Naturally, litigation has followed. Breaches…
Be Prepared for Litigation In our world of electronic communication, your business needs to be prepared to handle the major risk of litigation. You could be responsible to produce records, reports, and data from your computer network and systems. As a result, electronic discovery could cost your business tens or even hundreds of thousands of…
If you are involved in a lawsuit, the thought of going to trial may be intimidating. Many people have never been in a courtroom, so they envision a large, formal room with wooden trim, an overbearing judge in a long, black robe, and a jury that appears condemning. Most lawsuits, however, never go to trial….
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